Friends With Benefits
by Crystal Mystery
Summary: No one ever said that Derek was emotionally capable. And so it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone that Derek completely misunderstood his relationship with Stiles.


Curled on the couch together, watching some epically cheesy film about forbidden love that conquers all and lives forever, that was how Stiles and Derek were spending their Friday night.

Ok, so maybe 'curled' wasn't the right word. Derek was sitting completely upright, like the poster child for how to sit on a sofa the proper way, feet planted flat on the floor and everything. In comparison, Stiles was sprawled over the arm of the opposite end, twisted at the waist so he could see the television, and his feet were in Derek's lap, having won their spot there after a truly pathetic protest from Derek at the beginning of the film. But still they were there, together, watching a film after having dinner. So, basically, the normal formula for a date.

Because that was what it was. A date. Because they were kind of, sort of… hooking up. And had been for 2 months. Derek, for one, still couldn't really believe it. But despite what most people assumed, he didn't actively go out of his way to make himself unhappy, and so when Stiles had cornered him and asked him whether he wanted a piece of Stiles' awesomeness – Stiles' words of course – Derek hadn't exactly looked that gift horse in the face. Quite the opposite actually, he had taken Stiles up on his offer enthusiastically (or as enthusiastically as Derek Hale could muster) and accepted the glorified friends with benefits situation that Stiles had proposed. Glorified because they did things like watch films and eat dinner together in between. And friends with benefits because there were no feelings involved.

Derek only felt a little bad for breaking that rule.

'I know these movies are disgustingly unrealistic and cheesy, but I can't help wanting what they have.' Stiles sighed, watching the couple on screen declare their love for each other, drenched in rain, and fresh from a fight over some trivial matter or another. Possibly why the guy lied about being poor when he was actually the son of a billionaire? Or had that plot revelation yet to have happened?

'Things like that don't happen in real life.'

'I don't mean the whole drama thing. That I could live without, especially with our lives.' He twisted slightly to look Derek in the eye. 'But, you know, the whole 'in love with someone who loves you back forever' thing. It'd be cool.'

There was a pause where neither spoke. Stiles appeared to be waiting for something, but as Derek had no idea what that was he stayed silent. When Stiles had had enough of the silence, he spoke again.

'Have you ever had that?'

'Had what?'

'Loved someone who loved you back?'

Derek was silent a moment more, glancing off into the corner of the room briefly, before locking gazes with Stiles again, both ignoring the television where the credits were starting to roll.

'No.'

Stiles slumped back in his seat, having pushed himself up on his elbows to listen for Derek's answer.

'Oh, well, that sucks.'

Derek just nodded uncertainly, confused as to why Stiles sounded so sad. It wasn't as if his answer could have affected Stiles. Because that would mean… And it wasn't as if… Was it?

'You don't love me.'

Stiles startled, freezing in place, remote still clutched in his hand from where he'd been switching off the DVD and screen.

'Um, what?'

'You don't love me.'

'Well… that's wrong.'

Derek just stared. Stared at the furrowed brow, the thin press of frustrated lips, the defiant pink tinge of his cheeks, and finally at the steadily beating chest, devoid of all lies.

'Tell me, am I lying?'

Unable to form words, Derek just shook his head.

'That's because it's true. I love you. It's not really that big of a deal. I don't expect anything from you because of it, but you kind of should have expected it. I mean, we've been dating for a couple of months now, and I was pretty gone on you before that, so it makes sense that I love you and everything. So yeah…'

'Dating?'

'…Yeah. Dating. Did you not think we were dating? How could you not think we were dating? I mean look at us.'

He gestured to the way they were sat together on the couch, and then he picked up the chick flick box from the coffee table and waved it in Derek's face.

'See. Dating. What did you think we were doing?'

'Umm, friends with benefits?'

Stiles stared at him, wide eyed and mouth hanging open.

'How the hell did you get that impression? We haven't even slept together. And we do all that couple-y stuff. Are you an idiot?'

Derek looked vaguely sheepish as he fiddled with his fingers over Stiles' feet which were still on his lap.

'Well, we've done _other_ things that kind of count as _benefits_, so umm, yeah. And as for the couple-y thing, I kind of charted that up to you being you. You never really do anything normally, and so it would stand to reason that you would do friends with benefits differently too. It's not like you ever introduced me to your dad, or told Scott.'

'Of course I didn't introduce you to my dad. You're quite a bit older than me, and I'm still a month away from being legal. And since, as we've already covered, I love you, I wasn't really in the mood for getting you shot in a fit of protective, angry dad rage. Ok?'

Derek went to open his mouth, but Stiles held up a hand quickly and added.

'And yes I know, his bullets wouldn't have harmed you, but they still would have hurt, and would have been a bitch to fish out, so I thought I'd avoid that all together. As for the Scott thing, he totally knows already. I went all teenage girl on him when you agreed to go out with me, which I now realise you never realised you did, and went over to his to wax lyrical about all your amazing, and even not so amazing, qualities. It was pay back for all the Allison talk over the years. But yeah, he knows. He knew before you knew actually.'

Derek closed his mouth and instead just looked Stiles over, taking in what he had said, and letting his mind settle from where it had been reeling over the words. It all seemed kind of surreal and he idly wondered whether he had fallen asleep watching the film. Finally he said,

'Ask me again?'

'What?'

'Ask me _again_.'

Derek was lucky that Stiles was clever, and optimistic, and that he understood Derek enough to be able to riddle out exactly what Derek meant. Which was why he smiled beatifically, and asked,

'Have you ever loved someone who loved you back?'

This time the pause was more loaded, heavier, as if it held more meaning than the last. Finally, Derek smiled, just a small, almost invisible smile, and nodded.

'Yes. Yes I have.'


End file.
